As parishes face pressure under a new religious law, in Belarus clergy are also deleting their social media profiles to avoid arrest, according to church sources,.
“With church communities required to re-register, all are vulnerable to new restrictions,” explained Natallia Vasilevich, coordinator of the ecumenical Christian Vision organisation, referencing a recent law that requires all parishes to reapply for legal status and restricts educational and missionary activity by churches.
“Priests can be arrested and see their parishes deprived of legal status if they post or share anything deemed extremist. This is why they’ve been asked by their bishops to cease social media activity,” the lay theologian said.